RED AT THE BONE
by Jacqueline Woodson
Jacqueline Woodson is the master of the tiny book that packs a big emotional punch. She writes brilliantly for young adults as well as adults, and this book felt like a perfect bridge between two genres.
Red at the Bone presents a snapshot of a family celebrating their youngest member, Melody’s, coming of age. At a large party in the family’s Brooklyn home, Woodson changes perspective from mother to father, grandmother to grandfather and to Melody herself with a fluidity that illuminates the connections between them and the secrets that lie unspoken. In the course of unraveling their shared history, the reader also glimpses the coming of age of Melody’s parents, some of which happened at a breakneck pace when they found themselves parents to Melody at age sixteen.
Woodson uses language so economically, that I felt like I had read an epic family drama after only 197 pages. She masterfully constructs her prose so that it feels poetic and much of her imagery has stayed with me. Red at the Bone wouldn't be appropriate or interesting to teens, but all you adults should dive into the jewel of a novel and enjoy! (Lily)
